Citi Beefs Up Credit Card Rewards

NEW YORK (MainStreet) -- Banks have been fairly stingy about debit “rewards” cards of late, and some have even started charging users a fee when debit cards are used to make purchases, but the positive side effect may be sweeter credit card rewards deals.

Claiming revenue losses following the implementation of the “Durbin Rule” that limited the fees banks could charge merchants on debit card purchases, many financial institutions have curbed their rewards cards programs.

The Durbin Amendment was included in the Dodd-Frank financial reform bill that was passed in 2010. In it, banks with more than $10 billion in assets can now only charge merchants 21 cents per debit card transaction, down from an average of 44 cents before the Durbin rule.

A 2011 CardHub study estimates that big banks stand to lose up to $14 billion annually on the new debit card interchange fee rules.

In another twist. Bank of America just announced that starting in 2012, it would add a $5 monthly user fee for its network of debit card users.

But card users may be able to make up some ground on the other side of the street – via credit card reward programs.

Citi (Stock Quote: C), for example, will expand its “Thank You” rewards credit card program to offer extra reward points for customers who use the cards to pay their student loans or mortgages.

The consumer finance advocacy web site CreditCardWatcher.com reports that Citi Thank You card users can now use their points toward student loans and mortgage payments. At a rate of $1 per 100 points redeemed, Citi will cut a check to your loan issuer for that total dollar amount. Redeem 25,000 thank-you points and Citi will send $250 to your student loans or mortgage.

It’s a significant value-add for Citi and its Thank You credit card. Before, card users could redeem points principally for goods and services from partners in the bank's rewards program. But being able to turn those points into cash to pay big bills like student loans or a mortgage – that’s a new wrinkle.

As the Durbin rule kicks in, expect the card rewards pendulum to shift from debit to credit cards. Because banks, one way or another, are going to use the new rules to their advantage.